Wire-coupling



(No Model.) G. COLLINS.

WIRE COUPLING.

No. 278,097. Patented May 22,1883.

ATTORNEYS.

N4 PETERS mlomn n hw, Wnhinglou. 0,0.

-'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES COLLINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,097, dated May 22,1883.

Application iiled January 9, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Counts, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Wire Coupling,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Ihe object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device foruniting or coupling the ends of telegraph, fence, or other wires.

The invention consists in a strip of metal having apertures in the endsand alternating notches in the side edges, through which apertures andnotches the ends of wires to be coupled are passed and are held on thestrip by pressure and friction. An inclined notch extends from one edgeof the strip to one of the end apertures, and forms a lug which can bebent laterally to enlarge the end notch to facilitate passing the wirethrough the notch.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a longitudinal view of my improved wire-coupling. Fig. 2 isa longitudinal elevation of the same, showing the mannerin which it isused for coupling telegraph-wires. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation ofthe same, showing the manner in which it is used for couplingfence-wires or cables.

A strip, A, of metal is provided at one end with an aperture, B, and atthe oppositeend with an inclined notch, C, in one longitudinal edge,which notch terminates in an aperture, D. Between the said apertures B Dthe strip A is provided with notches E, arranged alternately in the twolongitudinal edges. The ends of the wires which are to be coupled arepassed through the aperture B, and are then passed through or into thealternating notches I E and into the notch C and aperture D, the

wires being lapped to such an extent that their ends will be at oppositeends of the strip A, asshown. By the tension in the wires the edges ofthe notches and apertures will be pressed and jammed against the wires,which will thus be held firmly in the strip. As the tension of the wireincreases the grip of the strip A on the wire increases; but the wireswill also remain coupled if there is no strain on them. Telegraph-wireswhich are made of a single strand, as shown in Fig. 2, might slip in thestrip A, and for that reason they are passed through two notches in bothlongitudinal edges. Fence-wire, which is thicker than telegraph-wire,and is frequently formed of several strands, is passed through twonotches in one edge and one notch in the other.

By using my improved wire-coupling the wires need not be twisted orbroken, and can be coupled and uncoupled very easily and rapidly. Ifdesired, thelug a, formed by the inclined notch O, can be pressedoutward to enlarge the said notch for the purpose of facilitating thepassage of the wires through the notch into the aperture D. After thewires are in the aperture D the lug a can Depressed back again.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The strip A,constructed with the alternating notches E in oppositelongitudinal edges, with the apertures B D, and the notch .0, extendingfrom the edge to the aperture D,

substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose setforth.

2. The strip A, constructed with the alternating notches E in oppositelongitudinal edges, with end apertures,B D, and with an inclined notch,C, extending from the edge of the strip to the aperture D, and forming alag, a, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purposeset forth.

' CHARLES COLLINS.

Witnesses: 1 ALFRED N. TAGERT, WM. J. MANNING.

